(NSI News Source Info) KOTTAKKAL, Kerala, India - October 25, 2011: Russian Mi-28N Night Hunter has lost a tender on the delivery of 22 attack helicopters to the Indian military in strong competition with the American AH-64D Apache, an Indian Defense Ministry source said on Tuesday.

“We decided not to choose the Mi-28 for technical reasons. Our experts believe that the Mi-28N did not meet the requirements of the tender on 20 positions, while the Apache showed better performance,” the source said.

Russia is still taking part in two other Indian helicopter tenders: on the delivery of 12 heavy transport helicopters and 197 light general-purpose helicopters.

Mi-28 Combat Helicopters:

The Mi-28 combat helicopter has been developed by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and is known by the NATO codename Havoc. In August 1996 Mil rolled out a prototype of the day and night capable version, the Mi-28N Night Havoc. The first production Mi-28N took its first flight in April 2004 and began flight testing with the Russian Air Force in June 2005.

The Russian Air Force has plans to procure up to 60 of this variant, now called the Mi-28NE Night Hunter.

Three were ordered in 2005 and 16 more in 2006 for delivery by 2008. The first production aircraft was delivered in May 2006 and began formal acceptance testing in September 2006. Five aircraft are involved in the testing which is scheduled to conclude in early 2008.

Mi-28 can fly at a maximum speed of 300km/h, can fly rearwards and sideways at speeds up to 100km/h and is able to hover turn at 45° a second.

Operators

RussiaRussian Air Force had 44 in operation http://www.armstrade.org/includes/periodics/news/2011/1012/10109945/detail.shtml344th Centre for Combat Training and Flight Personnel Training, Torzhok55th Independent Helicopter Regiment, Korenovsk, has been reported to be the first planned operational unit]118th Helicopter Regiment – Dmitriyevka, Oblast AlgeriaAlgerian Air Force was expected to place an order for 42 Mi-28NE helicopters as of June 2010. VenezuelaVenezuelan Air Force had 10 Mi-28N/MMW on order in April 2010, delivery date unknown. Soviet UnionSoviet Air Force – Mi-28s passed onto Russian Air Force